Panetta

Panetta is a surname of Italian origin and is found among Italian-American families. The best-known bearer is Leon Panetta (born 1938), an American politician and public servant who has held several senior government positions. Panetta served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2009 to 2011, and as the Secretary of Defense from 2011 to 2013 under President Barack Obama. Earlier in his career he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California from 1977 to 1993, and he also served as White House Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1997. His career spans local, state, and federal government, with involvement in legislative and executive branches and in national security and defense policy debates.

Beyond his public service, the Panetta name is associated with the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, based at California State University, Monterey Bay. Established by Panetta and his wife, Sylvia Panetta, the institute promotes civic education, public policy research, and leadership development.